What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Fibroid Tumors in the Uterus?

Symptoms of uterine fibroid tumors include periods that are longer than seven days, heavy menstrual bleeding, backache, leg pain, frequent urination, pain during sexual intercourse and an enlarged abdomen, according to Mayo Clinic. Specific symptoms depend on the number, location and type of tumors.

Subserosal fibroids grow outward to the point they press on the bladder, rectum and spine, explains Mayo Clinic. The primary symptoms for these tumors include back and leg pain, pelvic pressure, frequent urination and constipation.

Intramural fibroids grow in the muscle tissue of the uterus, Mayo Clinic states. These tumors can distort the shape of the uterus, causing lengthier, heavier periods, pelvic pressure and pain.

Occasionally fibroid tumors can produce acute pain, Mayo Clinic says. Tumors on stalks may twist to the point that their blood supply is cut off. This results in the tumor dying and being absorbed into the surrounding tissue, producing the pain.

As of 2015, researchers did not know the cause of fibroid tumors, Mayo Clinic reports. However, some factors put women at greater risk, such as family history, hormone production and substances in the body that help the body produce tissue.